So, a chilling dashcam compilation made public on social media was released to shine a stark light on the perilous conditions of National Highway 48 or NH-48 in and around Tumakuru. The video, from DriveSmart_IN, a well-known road safety advocate, illustrates a chain of near-misses and collisions in which pedestrians come into high-speed traffic, triggering a kind of “target fixation” response in motorcyclists, causing preventable crashes.
The video has sparked a heated online conversation, with those blaming the move on public expressways for the “jaywalking” phenomenon turning to those saying motorists need to be ready for the unpredictable fact that Indian highways cut through inhabited rural belts.
The "Target Fixation" Trap
The clips illustrate a psychological phenomenon, called target fixation, in which a rider is so fixated on an obstacle in this case, a pedestrian he unknowingly leads directly toward it as opposed to into the wide open space that surrounds it.
In one haunting section, a pedestrian seeks to navigate the six-lane highway near Kyathasandra. As a biker speeds up right toward them, the pedestrian freezes in mid lane. Rather than cutting left into the empty lane, the biker locks eyes with the pedestrian, crashing right into them at high speed. Many highway commuters lack the skill to look where you want to go, experts tell us as they shift a perilous situation into a fatal one.
Infrastructure Gap: A Divided Highway
Another recent trend: The viral thread has also shed new light on the ongoing delays in the Nelamangala-Tumakuru highway expansion. To date, big chunks of NH-48 are in the works to be transformed into a 10-lane access-controlled road. But without constructed service roads, Foot Over Bridges (FOBs) and underpasses, villagers surrounding the highway have to hurry along high-speed lanes to reach markets or schools.
Location : Tumkur
— DriveSmart🛡️ (@DriveSmart_IN) March 5, 2026
Jaywalking on highways and target fixated bikers 🙄@motordave2 pic.twitter.com/sZYGkEXfpg
Residents Report Key Problems:
- No Barriers: Wide gaps between the medians admit pedestrians and livestock to the central carriageway.
- Missing Overpasses: At numerous “black spots” such as Hirehalli and Kuluvanahalli there aren’t dedicated crossing stations for kilometers.
- Poor lighting: Many of these pedestrian-involved collisions occur at dawn or dusk. They are most common when visibility is lowest.
The Blame Game
Social media reactions to the video have been divided as follows:
- The "Pro-Biker" Perspective: Many argue that a National Highway was built to handle speeds of 80 to 100 kmph, so any pedestrian who steps on the road is, in effect, doing "suicide by traffic." They demand stricter enforcement against jaywalking and immediate fencing of all highway medians.
- The “Human-Centric” Viewpoint: Others note that the highway overlapped with existing village pathways. “If you build a wall through my backyard and not have a gate, I will climb the wall,” commented one commenter. They claim that when passing in "T-junctions" or heavily congested residential areas bikers must slow down to 40–50 kmph.
The Road Ahead
However, with the NHAI pushing service roads until June 2026, the Tumakuru stretch is still one of the deadliest highways in Karnataka. Experts in road safety call for a two-pronged approach: government to prioritize “pedestrian-only” infrastructure, motorists to learn to drive defensively slowing down near intersections and readying ourselves to “steer for the gap, not the hazard.”
As the death toll on this 44-km stretch increases, this viral film is a chilling reminder that on NH-48, it takes one step or a second of panic to convert a commute into a tragedy.
